وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ وَٱرْحَمْ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ 118
Translations
And, [O Muḥammad], say, "My Lord, forgive and have mercy, and You are the best of the merciful."
Transliteration
Wa qul rabbi ighfir warham wa anta khayru ar-rahimeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is a divine command to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to invoke Allah with a supplication for forgiveness and mercy. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this serves as both a personal supplication for the Prophet and a model for believers, emphasizing that despite one's efforts in obedience to Allah, one remains dependent on His forgiveness and mercy. The phrase 'wa anta khayru ar-rahimeen' (and You are the best of the merciful) affirms Allah's supreme attribute of mercy and highlights the contrast between human imperfection and divine perfection.
Revelation Context
This ayah concludes Surah Al-Mu'minun, which discusses the qualities of true believers and warnings to disbelievers. It comes after the Prophet has been commanded to proclaim the oneness of Allah and warned of the Day of Judgment, thus the supplication serves as a proper closing to the surah—a reminder that even the messenger himself seeks Allah's forgiveness and mercy.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad said, 'The best supplication is that which combines asking for forgiveness and mercy,' as reflected in various hadith collections. Additionally, in Surah Al-A'raf (7:23), Adam and Eve make a similar supplication: 'Rabbi zalamna anfusana in lam taghfir lana wa tarhamna' (Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves; if You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we shall surely be among the losers).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that seeking forgiveness and mercy from Allah is not a sign of weakness but an essential spiritual practice and acknowledgment of human limitation and Allah's infinite compassion. By placing this supplication at the conclusion of the surah about the believers, Allah emphasizes that sincere faith includes continuous repentance and reliance on His mercy.